Speedometer.



L. E. BLANCHARD.

SPEEDOMETER. APPLIGATION FILED 13120.10, 1909.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

gn/cwif Vb Off I Aiiofney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEON E. BLANCHARD, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO EDWARD T. NEWTON, F HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPEEDOMETER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb, 23, 1915,

Application filed December 10, 1909. Serial No. 532,852.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON E. BLANCHARD, a citizen oi the United States, residing in Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Speedometers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to speedometers and more particularly to the coupling employed to connect the flexible shaft with the casing of the instrument.

The invention has for its oh'ect to increase the accuracy, durability and salability of the speedometer; to avoid strains and jars on the governor shaft, and to prevent disengagement of the flexible shaft from the governor shaft. To this end, the coupling" is composed of two members, one of which is adapted to be secured to the casing of the instrument and will be hereinafter referred to as the fixed member, and the other member of said couplingis rotatably connected with the fixed member. The fixed member is 'QIOVldGtl with an end disk or wall having an opening through which the flexible shaft is extended, and which cotiperates with a device on the said shaft to limit the end motion of the flexible shaft away from the easing and thereby prevent accidental disengagement of the flexible shaft from the governor shaft, in the operation of the motor vehicle with which the speedometer is use The end wall or disk referred to, may also form a seat or raceway for ball hearings in-' terposed between it and the device on the flexible shaft. These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure l is a side elevation of a speedometer embodying this invention, and Fig. 2, an enlarged detail in section and elevation of the coupling and flexible shai t shown; in

Referring to the drawing, 01; represents the casing of a speedometer of that class having a speed indicator or pointer actuated by governor, a portion only of: the h of which is shown, as is all that is neces sary to show for a full understanding; of invention The casing c in line with the governor shaft 6 is provided with an opening in which is inserted an internally threaded hub or boss 0, which is soldered or otherwise firmly secured to the casing a.

The internally threaded boss 0 has engaged' with it an externally threaded sleeve (Z constituting the fixed member of the con- 60 pling, within which is extended the reduced end 6 of a sleeve 7, which constitutes the rotatable member of the coupling.

The rotatable member 7 is restrained from longitudinal movement from the fixed mem- 65 berby a shoulder 10 on the interior of the fixed member, which is engaged by a ring or washer 12 secured to the reduced end portion 0 of the member f by an o erturned lip 1d of the latter, which locks the washer 7o 12 in an annular groove 15 on the exterior of the end 6. The fixed member d is also provided with a second annular shoulder 20, against which seats a ring or disk 21, which 1S shown in the present instance as forming 75 the bottom of a cup or cylinder 23, having coiiperating with it a top disk or washer 2%, which overlaps the upper. end or" the cup or cylinder and is externally threaded to engage screw-threads 26 on the inner ClI'Clllll" so ference of the fixed member d of the coupling.

The top and bottom disks or walls 24, 21 of the cup or cylinder 23 are provided with holes for the passage of a head on the end 85 of a flexible shat't 31, said head as herein shown having an annular flange 32, which cotiperates with two sets of balls 33, 34, located in the cup or cylinder 23 and inter posed between the flange 82 and the disks or 9 walls 21, 24:, The head 30 is provided. as shown with longitudinal slot 40 at its end for the reception of a stud or pin 41 on the governor shaft. The rotatable member has attached to it in the usual manner, the usual protective spiral casing 44 for the flexible shalt A By reference to Ti 2, it will he seen that the head 30 of the flexible shaft is prevented from moving longitudinally to any material extent in either direction by flange 32, balls 33, 34 and disks or I 21, 2 with the result, that the liahil the flexible shaft 31 5 disengaged from the governor shaft is duced to a minimum. Fur-thermal e, flexible shaft 31. is provided at its end the speedometer, whic" for sake of c ness, may be designated the upper en ball bearings, upon which said end flexible shaft in opposite directions, jars or strains on the governor shaft 6 of theinstrument are avoided, and the life and accuracy of the instrument in this respect is thereby increased.

l/Vhile I may prefer to employ two sets of ball bearings, good results may be ob-- tained with the lower set 33 alone, as the outward movement of the flexible shaft predominates, and also while I prefer to use ball'bearings, the may be omitted and a highly useful construction would remain, as

the disk 21 would engage the flange 32 and position for the ball bearings within the said fixed member, and means to restrict longi-' prevent outward movement of the flexible shaft and disengagement of the the latter from the governor shaft.

Claimsi 1. In a speedometer, in, combination, a casing having an internally threaded sleeve secured thereto, a governor shaft located within the casing in line with said sleeve, a flexible shaft, a coupling for connecting said flexible shaft with said casing and comrising an externally-threaded fixed memk er engaging said internally threaded sleeve, a rotatable member extended into said fixed member, means for preventing disengagement of said rotatable member from said ward from the coupling of said flexible shaft, and retain the said shaft in said fixed member when. the latter is removed from the instrument, and means to connect the flexible shaft with'the tially as described.

2. In a speedometer, in combination, a flexible shaft, a coupling for the flexible shaft comprising a fixed member capable of being secured to the instrument, and a second member in rotatable engagementwith said fixed member, ball bearings for the flexible shaft located within the fixed member of said coupling, means to insure a fixed governor shaft, substantudinal movement of said flexible shaft out of said fixed member and retaining the said shaft in said fixed member when the latter is removed from the instrument, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEON E. BLANCHARD.

Witnesses: Y

JAS. H. CH RCHILL,- J. MURPHY.

extended, a head 

